Its probably easier to assume that anybody you come into contact with has a camera on them than to wonder. Every phone takes photos and videos these days, and your entire world is potentially being video taped.
Which makes privacy laws concerning video pretty impossible to enforce. This is important in the context of the Emily Good incident because it may well be the “secret” taping of the officer that comes into question once this goes to court. Its not supposed to be legal to film people without their consent, but in the context of our modern era, its commonplace.
Its also commonplace for police cruisers to have cameras mounted in their dashes and stop lights to have cameras monitoring them. But there’s no sign that says “this light is being video recorded,” nor am I allowed to ask a video tape of me getting pulled over be erased. Why not? Isn’t that illegal?
3 replies on “Emily Good: A Word on Cameras, in General”
Infuriating story. (I guess you lefties and us libertarians have some common ground here 😉 ) I have a post going up on this tomorrow.
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Actually, Jon, it is not illegal to photograph or videotape anything that takes place on a public street, whether that is done by a civilian or a police officer. Nor is it illegal to post such images/videos on the web. Invasion of privacy occurs only in situations where one has a “reasonable expectation of privacy,” such as in your own home (or “public” places such as a restroom).
One CAN sue over such publications if the images/videos present the individual in a “false light,” such as making it look like someone is coming out of an adult video store when in fact they are only passing by.